In a confluence of innovation and tradition, Melón Jiménez and Lara Wong bring
unexpected protagonists—the Indian bansuri flute and the flamenco guitar—to
reimagine flamenco’s evolution from its Indian and African roots.
Wong, a Canadian flutist of Chinese and Japanese descent, made history as the
first foreigner and the first woman to win Spain's most prestigious flamenco
prize, the Filón Minero, at the Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas in
Spain. Wong is also a notable contributor to the modern flamenco scene,
known for incorporating the Indian bansuri flute into the genre.
Jiménez’s flamenco roots run deep; he learned the guitar from his father, a
Gitano (Spanish Roma) guitarist from Jerez de la Frontera, the birthplace of
flamenco. His roots combined with his limitless musical curiosity led him to tour
with renowned musicians accross musical genres, such as Anoushka Shankar,
Enrique Morente, Richard Bona, Niña Pastori, and Jorge Pardo.
In a constant dialogue between cultures, Confluencias gives a fresh face to
flamenco’s nomadic roots through imaginative compositions and vivid
improvisation. Flamenco is traditionally played with the guitar, voice, and
palmas (hand claps), but Confluencias proves that the flamenco duende, or
spirit, can be expressed by any instrument. Here, flutes take the role of the
cantaor (singer), while unconventional instruments such as the bass, MPC or
the tabla, hold down the groove.
The album will be toured across Spain, Canada, and Scandinavia from 2024 to
2025, with performances at festivals and venues such as the Helsinki Flamenco
Festival, Folk Alliance, National Arts Centre, FeminaJazz Festival, and the
Vancouver Flamenco Festival.